Draw-gear for railway-cars.



Patented Dec. I6, |902. J. F. (IOURSON. DRAW GEAB'FOR RAILWAY CARS.

(No Mo'delJ Nu.l 7|5,989. Patented Dec. I6, |902. J. F. COU-RSON.

DRAW-GEAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

l (Application 'med my 1902.) (ndmudel.) v2 sheets-sheet 2.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIHII Unrrnn dfrnrns PA'FFNF OFFICE.

JOHN F. COURSON, OF PITCAIRN, PENNSYLVANIA.

DRAW-G EAR FOR. RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,989, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed May 6, 1902. Serial No. 106,180. (No model.)

To all whom it Judy concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. COURSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pitcairn, Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draw-Gears for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to means whereby the draw-bar may be adjusted vertically in relation to the body of the car.

The invention consists in the features and combination of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side View of my invention with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view; Fig. 3, a sectional View on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 a transverse sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,- and 12 are views of detail parts. Fig. 13 is a View of another arrangement of the key.

The general form of draw-gear is the same as that shown in an application for Letters Patent of the United States iiled by me of even date herewith, said draw-gear comprising the bar a, having a strap b bolted thereto and carrying bearing pieces c d, between which friction-plates 5 are held. These plates engage other plates 2, which are relatively fixed in respect to the plates 5 and draw-bar and are connected to the frame of the car in a manner as will be hereinafter described. A bufng-spring 15 is arranged in a space intermediate the front and rear ends of the nest of plates, said spring resting upon the edges of the fixed plates and affording a resilient resistance to the movement of the plates 5 and the draw-gear. Cam 0r clamping members consisting of plates 3 are arranged to create a strong frictional pressure between the plates 2 and 5, for which purpose these' plates 3 are held against free movement with the draw-bar by a spring 16. When the drawbar is moved, plates 1 will be spread by riding upon the cam or toothed portion of the clamping-plate, and a frictional resistance to the movement of the draw-bar will be created to absorb the shock or strain. In order to support this draw-gear from the car-frame, I employ holding-bars 7, which are rigidly fixed to the sill of the car, and preferably two are used on each side of the draw-bar. The

Figs. 5, e,4

plates 2 are notched or recessed at their edges to'flt over these holding-barsand these recesses receive also locking-bars 6, which have upper and lower horizontally-bent arms or portions fitting against the upper and lower faces of the nest of plates. Theselockingbars are toothed on their lateral edges, and the teeth engage similar teeth on the edges of the holding or supporting bars 7. When in engagement, the locking and holding bars are held together by keys 13, which fit between the edges of the locking-bars 6 and the edge of the recess in the plates 2. By this construction it will be seen that the draw-bar may be adjusted vertically in respect to the car-body by simply removing the key, then withdrawing the locking-bar 6 from engagement with the holding-bar 7, so that the drawbar is free to be lowered, and when the desired height is reached the locking -bar is slipped into engagement with the toothed holding orsupporting bar, in which position it is secured by the key.

Ido not limit myself to the form of drawgear described, as this is representative of any desired form, my present invention relating to the means for supporting vand adjusting the draw-bar.

In order to adjust the draw-bar at a point forward of the nest of plates or near the'end of the car, I provide a supporting band or head 23, encircling the draw-bar at this point and upon which the said bar rests. This band is toothed, as shown at 24, on its lateral edges.r Toothed holding-bars 25 are rigidly secured to the frame of the car, and with one of these the toothed head or band engages directly. At the opposite side of the band or head, however, the connection is formed by a key 26, having teeth on both edges, as shown in Fig. 4. By removing this key the head 23 may be adjusted up or down together with the draw-bar in relation to the frame. It will bc noticed from Fig. 4 that the head has a certain amount of free space between its inner side and the outer side` of the draw-bar.

Fig. 9 shows a side and face view of the toothed holding-bar located on the left of Fig. 4, and Fig. 10 is a similar view of the bar which is located on the right-hand side of Fig. 4. Each of these bars, it will be noticed, has a flange 27 located along its rear ICO edge. This iiange forms a stop or abutment in each notch to limit the inward movement of the head and key means, and when these parts are interlocked they are held in position by plates 28, which are bolted to the frame and extend across the front 'of the head and key to hold these parts in place.

The keys 13, before described, are shown in Fig. 7 as provided with bent ends 13'. These keys are inserted into place by putting them in from the top of the draw-bar, with the bent part resting upon the top of the nest of plates. I do not limit myself to this arrangement of the keys, as in box-cars or in cars Where the floor is laid close over the drafts, the key will be inserted from the bottom, and this may be held in a manner similar' to that described-z'. e., by plates like those shown at 28, but placed across the lower ends of the keys.

In Fig. 13 it will be noticed that the key is placed in rear of the rigid bar 7 instead of in front of the movable locking-bar 6. In order to adjust the draw-bar in this latter case, the key 13 is removed, and then the entire drawbar is pulled forwardly until the teeth of the bar 6 become disengaged from the teeth of the bar 7. The draw-bar is then raised or lowered, as desired, and is then pushed back, and when the toothed parts of the bars 6 and 7 are again in engagement the key is inserted back of the rigid bar 7.

I claim as my invention* 1. In combination with a draw bar or gear, means for supporting the same adjustably, comprising a toothed portion on the frame, a toothed portion on the draw-bar, one of said portions being adjustable in relation to the other and lneans for holding the said toothed portions in engagement substantially as described.

2. In combination with the frame, a toothed bar fixed thereto, the draw-bar, a toothed bar carried thereby, one of said bars being movableinto and out of engagement with the other and means for holding the said bars in engagement, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the frame, a draw-bar, a toothed bar on the draw-bar having the upper and lower arms embracing the same, a toothed portion on t-he car-frame and means for holding the said toothed bar and toothed portion in engagement, substantially as described.

4. In combination, the frame having the toothed portion thereon, a draw-bar having a recess at its side, a bar movable in said recess and toothed to engage the toothed portion on the frame and means for holding the said toothed bar in engagement with the said toothed portion, substantially as described.

5. In combination, the'frame having the toothed portion thereon, a draw-bar having a recess at its side, a bar movable in said recess and toothed to engage the toothed portion on the frame and means for holding the said toothed bar in engagement with the said toothed portion, said toothed bar having upper and lower bent portions embracing the draw-bar, substantially as described.

6. In combination with a frame, a toothed bar secured thereto, the draw-bar comprising a nest of plates, recesses in the edges of certain of said plates, locking-bars fittingin the said recesses and engaging the toothed portions on the frame and keys fitting in the said recesses to hold the locking-bars in place, substantially as described.

7. In combination with a draw-bar, the toothed portions on the frame, a head or band encircling the draw-bar and toothed on its opposite edges and a double-toothed key for holding one side of the head in connection with one of the toothed portions on the frame, substantially as described.

8. In combination, the draw bar or gear, toothed supporting-bars, a toothed part carried by the draw-bar and a plate secured rigidly in place and holding the toothed parts in engagement, substantially as described.

9. In combination, the frame, a toothed part on the frame, a draw-bar, a toothed part carried thereby, and a key for holding the parts together, the said toothed part on the frame having means for limiting the position of the engaging toothed part, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN F. COURSON.

Witnesses:

R. PEALE, LEE R. WILSON. 

